Duke ends 12-year drought against Deacs

WINSTON-SALEM – Using a backup quarterback for the go-ahead score and another quarterback who scored two touchdowns, Duke pulled out all the stops to end a 12-year stretch of misery against Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon.

WINSTON-SALEM – Using a backup quarterback for the go-ahead score and another quarterback who scored two touchdowns, Duke pulled out all the stops to end a 12-year stretch of misery against Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon.

The Blue Devils won 34-27 in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener in off-and-on rain at BB&T Field.

“It’s great,” Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell said. “It’s just one game. We have the whole season in front of us.”

Duke (4-1) stretched its lead with Jela Duncan’s 17-yard touchdown run with 2:50 left. The Blue Devils have their best five-game start to a season since going 7-0 in 1994.

Wake Forest (3-2, 1-2) lost to another in-state ACC opponent at home for the first time since 2004.

“For this team, we did what we had to do and we did it together,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “There were plays made by the defense, obviously four big turnovers or takeaways. … People stepped up consistently and made plays on offense.”

Duke receiver Conner Vernon tied the ACC career record for receptions with 232, collecting five catches in the game. His final grab was a key third-down pick-up on the Blue Devils’ last scoring drive.

After Wake Forest quarterback Tanner Price fumbled when Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo knocked the ball loose, the Blue Devils regained the lead on backup quarterback Anthony Boone’s 4-yard run with 11:35 remaining.

“Keep going hard, keep going hard and eventually they’ll crack,” DeWalt-Ondijo said of the defensive pressure.

Duke starting quarterback Sean Renfree exited with an elbow ailment in the third quarter after he was hit and intercepted on a play that set up Wake Forest’s tying field goal.

Duke scored on the opening possession of the second half, building a 20-10 lead on the second of situational quarterback Brandon Connette’s two touchdown runs.

A 98-yard drive for Wake Forest was capped by a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Price to Tommy Bohanon to trim Duke’s advantage.

The Demon Deacon managed a tying field goal after Zach Thompson’s interception of Renfree at the Duke 20.

“When you have a momentum change and great field position, you’ve got to convert (for a touchdown),” Price said.

The Demon Deacons were lost on offense at times. Take away the 98-yard touchdown march and they produced only 100 yards of total offense in the second half — and 75 of those came on a touchdown drive that ended with 42 seconds to play.

Wake Forest lost receiver Michael Campanaro, who ranked second nationally with 36 receptions entering the week, to an apparent broken right hand in the second quarter. He finished with two catches and 8 yards.

Duke benefited from a Wake Forest decision late in the first quarter. The Demon Deacons accepted a holding penalty rather than put Duke in fourth down, hoping to push the Blue Devils out of field goal range. Duke converted a third-and-27 and ended up with Connette’s 2-yard touchdown run.